Cheap flights to Abidjan

Quick summary

Why track Abidjan with SniperAir

You do not need to compare prices every day

Abidjan is the biggest and most important city of the Ivory Coast. Wikivoyage (EN) notes that it was the capital from 1933 until 1983 and that it remains the economic and de facto capital; Wikipedia (EN) places the political capital at Yamoussoukro since 1983. It is also the second largest city in West Africa after Lagos, according to Wikivoyage (EN) and Wikipedia (FR), and the largest in French-speaking West Africa. Population figures differ widely between sources (about 4 million on Wikivoyage, over 6 million for the autonomous district on French Wikipedia), so we publish none. The whole city is built around the Ébrié Lagoon on the Gulf of Guinea. ABJ is served by many airlines, which makes price tracking worthwhile.

Airport and getting into town

An airport south of the city, linked by a long boulevard

Distance and journey time are not reliably given by the sources consulted; they depend heavily on traffic. We do not give fares.

Wikivoyage (EN) explains that there are several kinds of taxi: orange cabs may work anywhere in the city, while others, in different colours, are tied to one district. Never set off without agreeing the fare, because meters are rarely used. Yango and Bolt ride-hailing apps work in Abidjan, according to the same source. Wikivoyage (DE) adds that Yamoussoukro can be reached in under three hours by the A3 motorway, 236 km away.

Landmarks

St Paul's Cathedral, the Plateau towers and the Ébrié Lagoon

Abidjan is best explored between the big buildings of the Plateau, the residential districts of Cocody and the waters of the lagoon. The places below are illustrated; dates and figures sometimes differ between sources, so we stay cautious.

St Paul's Cathedral, a Plateau landmark

Wikipedia (EN) says the cathedral was designed by the Italian architect Aldo Spirito: Pope John Paul II broke ground in 1980 and it was completed in 1985. Wikivoyage (FR) places it on Avenue Jean-Paul II in the Plateau and notes the many steps at the entrance. Its white silhouette and tall slanting cross can be spotted from afar.

The Plateau towers, a lagoon-side Manhattan

Wikivoyage (FR) describes the Plateau as the historic, administrative, commercial and financial centre, sometimes nicknamed Manhattan for its skyscrapers and its stretch of water. At night its buildings are mirrored in the lagoon. French Wikipedia adds that the Plateau and Treichville are linked by the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny and Charles-de-Gaulle bridges.

The Ébrié Lagoon at dusk

French Wikipedia says the built-up area is crossed by the Ébrié Lagoon, beside the Gulf of Guinea. Wikivoyage (EN) praises the view of the skyline from the water at sunset, while noting that the lagoon is polluted in places: it is best admired from a lagoon ferry or a landscaped bank.

Palm-lined shore and distant towers

Across the water, a palm-lined bank is a reminder that greenery survives in the city: French Wikipedia mentions a few remaining islets of dense vegetation. Wikivoyage (EN) also recommends Banco National Park in the north for a walk through tropical forest.

Other places named by Wikipedia (EN, FR, DE) and Wikivoyage (EN, FR): the Pyramid building, a brutalist work by the architect Rinaldo Olivieri finished in 1973 according to Wikivoyage (FR); the Salam Mosque of the Plateau; the national library; the public zoo; the big Treichville market; and, in Marcory, the Zone 4 district. Banco National Park, a primary forest of about 30 km² in the Attécoubé district, is named by Wikivoyage (EN, FR) for rare trees such as mahogany and avodiré. To the east, Grand-Bassam, which Wikivoyage (EN) calls Abidjan's number one beach, and Bingerville, the former capital, make classic excursions.

Museums and culture

Ivorian civilisations, contemporary art and culture

The Museum of Civilisations of Côte d'Ivoire

On Boulevard Carde in the Plateau, Wikivoyage (EN) presents it as the national museum, first opened in 1942, with substantial archaeological and ethnological collections and among the most important in the region. Wikivoyage (FR) gives opening days from Tuesday to Friday: check before you visit.

Contemporary art

Wikivoyage (EN, FR) names the Adama-Toungara Museum of Contemporary Cultures (MuCAT) in Abobo, open Tuesday to Sunday according to Wikivoyage (FR), and the Cocody municipal museum of contemporary art in Riviera 2. The national library on Boulevard Carde is also mentioned.

Nature, zoo and culture

Wikivoyage (EN) mentions the public zoo, Banco park and, for nightlife, the Yopougon district and its Princess Road. We give no prices or exact opening hours, as they change.

Food and drink

Attiéké, placali, fish and maquis

The staples

Wikivoyage (EN) names rice, cassava, yam and bread as the staple foods. Cassava is eaten whole, mashed as placali, mixed with banana as foutou, or fermented and grated as atchèkè, also spelled attiéké; fish is usually the cheapest meal. Garba, attiéké with fried tuna, and kedjenou, a slow-cooked poultry stew, are often named as emblematic dishes.

Maquis and restaurants

Many meals are eaten in maquis, informal open-air restaurants on the pavement or a small terrace. Wikivoyage (EN) advises asking the price before sitting down. European-style restaurants cluster in the Plateau, Cocody and Zone 4, according to the same source.

Markets and nights out

Wikivoyage (FR) names the big Treichville market, with wax-print cloth, fabrics and carvings, and the old Cocody market. In the evening the Allocodrome in Cocody is described as a typical, friendly spot. Wikivoyage (EN) names Princess Road in Yopougon as the number one place for a night out, with spicy grilled chicken on the street.

Getting around

Coloured taxis, lagoon ferries and city buses

Taxis and minibuses

According to Wikivoyage (EN, FR), orange taxis can go anywhere but cost more; wôrô-wôrô shared taxis, each commune with its own colour, run within one district, and gbakas are cheap but often packed minibuses. Always agree the price before setting off.

Buses and lagoon ferries

Wikivoyage (FR) names the SOTRA buses and the lagoon ferries run by three companies linking Yopougon, Cocody, the Plateau and Treichville. Wikivoyage (EN) calls the crossing a pleasant ride, especially at sunset.

Metro and traffic

Wikivoyage (DE) says a metro line is under construction, but with no confirmed opening date: check before counting on it. Wikivoyage (EN) notes that the city is spread out, so walking takes time, and advises against motorbike taxis.

Budget and precautions

Budget and precautions

Price level

The sources do not give reliable, dated fares that two of them confirm, so we offer no range. Wikivoyage (EN) mainly advises agreeing the price of rides and meals in advance and carrying small notes.

Currency

Ivory Coast uses the CFA franc (XOF). Cash remains useful outside hotels and large restaurants.

Flights, safety and health

SniperAir tracks prices to ABJ and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. To compare, you can also follow Accra or Dakar. Wikivoyage (EN) mentions road checkpoints and pickpockets at bus stations and markets, and recommends visiting some lively districts, such as Koumassi, Treichville and Yopougon, only with a local, and that women avoid going out alone at night. Official advice varies from one country of departure to another: check your own government's before booking. For health, ask a doctor or a vaccination centre before you go: vaccinations, including yellow fever, and malaria prevention.

When to go

A hot, humid climate with two rainy seasons

For more comfortable sightseeing, the long dry season, from December to March, is most often recommended. We give no detailed monthly averages, because the sources do not cover the same stations or years.

By length of stay

What to do in Abidjan by length of stay

In pictures

Abidjan in pictures

You might also like

Similar destinations

Senegal

Dakar

Discover

Ghana

Accra

Discover

Morocco

Casablanca

Discover

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Abidjan